Scotland have become a fringe event on YouTube - but context is needed when examining state of nation

The past is a foreign country. Fast forward a year – which is desirable, given the year Scotland have had – and Clarke’s squad have landed in Zagreb (unlike last month prior to playing Portugal, they landed within 100kms of the stadium where Saturday’s match is being played). It’s fair to say that interest is measured at somewhat less than fever pitch. The Nations League fixture against Croatia, and the one after it against Portugal, can only be viewed on YouTube. 

Watching Scotland has become a fringe event, like trawling the video sharing service in search of that obscure song you remember loving thirty years ago. Remarkably, it’s just 119 days since the eyes of Europe were on Clarke’s side as they kicked off Euro 2024 against Germany, with over 200,000 supporters said to have joined them in Munich. The Panini sticker album had not even been completed before things started unravelling.

Scotland are now ranked 52 by Fifa, roughly where they were when Clarke took charge over five years ago. The World Cup might be expanding to 48 teams but that’s not inclusive enough as far as Scotland are concerned. They are now in a battle to claim a top two seed placing ahead of the World Cup qualifying draw in Geneva in December.

So where has it all gone wrong? In a way, it feels like Scotland have not recovered from those opening 45 minutes against the Euro 2024 hosts in Munich, when they lost three goals on the way to a 5-1 hammering. They are still trying to work out what happened and re-shape. They are still in that dressing room at the Allianz Arena, poor old Ryan Porteous with his head in his hands, trying to regroup.

The horror of that evening has cast a long shadow and Clarke is still seeking to emerge from the darkness, although some redemption was glimpsed last month. 

Despite everything, Scotland are still dining at European football’s top table. League A of the Nations League. It’s proving onerous and hardly helpful in terms of the World Cup qualifying pots scenario. Every defeat suffered by Scotland is likely to be detrimental on that front. 

It’s why some context is required when judging Clarke amid this current run of just one win in 14 outings. Added to the standard of opposition is the relentless injury situation, which continues to deprive Scotland of many of their best players. Another reason to pause and reflect on Scotland’s trip to play Spain a year ago on Saturday is that this was Aaron Hickey’s last international appearance. 

Such absences – even Hickey’s deputy Nathan Patterson is sidelined – has meant Clarke has had to cast his net more widely than might otherwise have been the case, with Aberdeen pair Nicky Devlin and Jack MacKenzie brought in and Preston North End defender Liam Lindsay - who turns 29 today - called up for the first time.

There were signs of promise in the previous double-header, first coming back from two goals down against Poland only to do down 3-2 from a penalty in the closing moments and then losing out late to Portugal. Nevertheless, Scotland were sent reeling into Autumn on the back of a worst-ever run of eight competitive matches without a win. Alarmingly, it was hard to see at first glance where the next win might come from?

But why not a city where Scotland have never lost and indeed, where they posted a memorable victory on their last visit against opposition then ranked No 4 in the world eleven years ago? Not much has changed at the Maksimir stadium. It is a large, misshapen arena that has the aspect of a power station from the outside rather than a cathedral of football. 

One difference is that the east end of the ground has been rendered unusable since an earthquake in 2020, reducing the capacity from 35,000 to around 23,000. The stadium is expected to be full. As was the case of Scotland’s last outing against Portugal, the appearance of a certain player helps pack them in. Like with Ronaldo, people want to take every chance they can to see a master of his craft such as Luca Modric at work. The Croatian Football Federation assigned the 39-year-old Real Madrid midfielder to handle press chores on Friday while the Scots put up Anthony Ralston, Hickey’s willing replacement. 

It was just a pity the SFA did not offer the 41-year-old Craig Gordon and play a trump card in this game of geriatric footballer oneupmanship. Modric was aware of Gordon’s remarkable return and played against him for Spurs in the goalkeeper’s Sunderland days.

“I know Gordon from before obviously, he is an excellent goalkeeper,” he said. “It is very good for Scotland that he is still playing. And it's nice to know that somebody older than you will be playing on the same pitch!”

Scotland at least know they will triumph in the oldest players stakes, with Gordon almost certain to earn his 76th cap. It's not a testimonial. It's not a farewell appearance. “Any plans for the weekend escape?” runs the Croatia Airlines promo advert. This is no escape for Clarke and his team. There’s work to be done, despite the injury tribulations. 

Scotland are back in Zagreb and a repeat of that World Cup qualifying victory in 2013, when they were also hampered by call-offs as well as being similarly unfancied, would be nice, as would some revenge for that Hampden defeat at Euro 2020, when Modric underlined his class. 

It stands as Scotland’s only defeat to Croatia, the country Scots long to emulate in a football context, in six meetings. “A good memory,” smiled Modric, while also referencing this otherwise poor record against Scotland. There is hope.